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Country's businesses, like its tourists, flocking to French Provence region

By Yuan Shenggao | China Daily | Updated: 2019-03-26 07:07

France's Provence region, long a favorite of Chinese tourists, is emerging as a global leader in terms of innovative industrial, educational and scientific partnerships with China.

Provence's major metro area - the cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence - has one of the five fastest growing economies in Europe and Marseille-Fos is a leading French port. The metro area is home to international giants with long traditions of working in China such as Airbus Helicopters and CMA CGM shipping, while Total has made a 300 million euros ($339 million) investment to open the largest biorefinery in Europe just outside of Marseille.

Country's businesses, like its tourists, flocking to French Provence region

Now, thanks to its state-of-the-art logistics, its Eurom��diterran��e international business district, and its key position at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, Aix-Marseille is attracting an increasing number of Chinese companies.

Champions such as Weichai Power, PetroChina, Watchdata Technologies and Tinno Mobile have all invested in Provence, while the Marseille International Fashion Center 68 offers a dedicated platform for trade with China.

Most recently, Quechen Silicon Chemical has announced a 105 million euros investment to open its European silica factory at Marseille-Fos, making it one of the largest Chinese greenfield investments in France.

"Marseille is the perfect location with great access to Europe and Northern Africa and it has everything we need in terms of resources: water, gas, electricity, available land," said Que Weidong, president of Quechen. "If the Mediterranean is a crown, then Marseille is the pearl on top."

The future is especially bright for digital industries. The Aix-Marseille metro area is one of Europe's five top telecom hubs and has best-in-class data storage infrastructure, which is a major reason why China Telecom invested in the region.

Investments will be boosted as Aix-Marseille expands its transportation connections.

The Port of Shanghai has agreed to deepen ties with the Port of Marseille and the Marseille-Provence Airport is exploring options to open a high-potential Marseille-Shanghai or Marseille-Beijing direct route.

The potential for cooperation was made clear at the 2018 Belt and Road Initiative conference in Marseille that featured Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the former French prime minister, Zhai Jun, the Chinese ambassador to France, and Fei Zhaohui, president of the Paris branch of the Export-Import Bank of China.

"With its unique geographical location and its historical origins, Marseille can play an active role under the Belt and Road Initiative," Fei said.

"Two-way trade can be further promoted while Marseille can act as a bridge between China and southern Europe and North Africa."

Ties are being developed beyond the world of business and industry. Aix-Marseille University, the world's largest French-speaking university, has opened a joint institute with the Wuhan University of Technology in China, and the Kedge Business School shares executive partnerships with Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

What's more, scientific cooperation is at an all-time high: as home to the 20 billion euros and 35-country ITER nuclear fusion project, Provence has the largest team of Chinese scientists outside of China.

Meanwhile, with its Mediterranean beaches and lavender fields, Provence continues to be a dream destination for many Chinese travelers.

In 2018, Chinese tourism to France rose by more than 5 percent to 2.2 million visitors and Provence was the second-favorite destination.

"Aix-Marseille is open to the world and we are delighted to work with our Chinese friends and partners," said Jean-Luc Chauvin, president of the Provence Promotion economic development agency.

"We have a range of programs to support Chinese entrepreneurs and to ensure their success."

Country's businesses, like its tourists, flocking to French Provence region

(China Daily 03/26/2019 page7)

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